Arts and Entertainment – Krista + Rosie, Realtorshttp://kristashouse.com
Hi friends! We are Krista + Rosie, the brains behind the Krista + Rosie Team. Powered by Abio Properties we are a top producing real estate team working {and having fun} in Berkeley, Oakland and the surrounding areas. From buying + selling to DIY + home decor to plumber + gardener recommendations we are your one-stop-shop for all things real estate.Mon, 02 Apr 2018 18:19:45 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.931195323Three Reasons to Visit Lake Merritthttp://kristashouse.com/blog/2017/03/02/three-reasons-to-visit-lake-merritt/
http://kristashouse.com/blog/2017/03/02/three-reasons-to-visit-lake-merritt/#respondFri, 03 Mar 2017 05:35:08 +0000http://kristashouse.com/?p=3416Posted by the cool peeps at Berkeley Hills Realty So you’re thinking to yourself, “What should I do today where I can get great exercise and do some people watching while I am at it?” Or you think to yourself, “My kids need to get out today and I want to go somewhere that is […]

So you’re thinking to yourself, “What should I do today where I can get great exercise and do some people watching while I am at it?” Or you think to yourself, “My kids need to get out today and I want to go somewhere that is fun for them and not too draining on me.” Or you may think, “I want to take some beautiful photos and my teen wants to get some great Instagram shots. Where should I go?”

The answer to all of them is..Lake Merritt in Oakland!

Running/Walking/Strolling

Lake Merritt is exactly a 5k all the way around, 3.2 miles and a 45 minute walk. If you are jogging at a normal pace, you can do it in 30 minutes, which is a perfect work out. Best part? You get to see natural beauty, as well as other people enjoying their time along the way. If you park at 7th and Oak street, parking is free and you can add a few blocks of warm up time to your routine. You can also park at 22nd Street near Kaiser Plaza for $12, which puts you two blocks from the lake and running path and you can run to the lake and check out the Cathedral Christ of the Light church for its beautiful architecture.

Children’s Fairyland

Fairyland Entrance

If you are a parent of a child under the age of 10, you may have heard of Children’s FairyLand. This is Oakland’s answer to where you can take your kids and have fun in a “throwback” park that caters to young children. Arguably the centerpiece of Fairyland is the children’s theater on the southern end and the 61-year-old puppet theater to the north – which still uses marionettes that were costumed by Frank Oz‘s mother, and hosts the oldest continuously run puppet show in the nation.

Insta-Good Photos

Insta-goodness of Krista’s daughter

So your teenager won’t go out with you in public, but if you tell them there is a great place for them to take selfies, Tumblr photos, and “Instagood” photos, they just may go with you to Lake Merritt. And if YOU enjoy taking photos of local wildlife, including a myriad of birds, as well as reflection photos, this will be a great day for you both. Check out Instagram using the hashtag #LakeMerrittOakland for ideas for photos or take your camera and let life unfold in front of you for photos that capture life. For you garden/flower/landscape nuts, there are no less than five different gardens at Lake Merritt. Check out the Bonsai Garden, the Rhododendron Garden, Torii Gate Garden, Vireya Garden, and the Sensory Garden for fantastic photo opportunities.

The Future

Slated for construction is the Lake Merritt to Bay Trail (LM2BT) Connection which will close a key gap between the San Francisco Bay Trail and Lake Merritt trail systems. It will provide a safe ADA-accessible Class I multi-use pathway that connects BART, AC Transit, and Chinatown to the Oakland Estuary, Amtrak Capitol Corridor, Jack London Square, and the Brooklyn Basin Development for commuters and recreational users. This will be another place to run, discover with your children and photograph!

Learn more about Lake Merritt’s history and an interesting story about its “Necklace of Lights” featuring 126 lamp posts first lit in 1925.
Krista and Rosie love this community and would love to share more about it with you if you are considering a move. Contact us at (510) 612-5546 or (510) 610-0702 for your home buying or selling desires!

]]>http://kristashouse.com/blog/2017/03/02/three-reasons-to-visit-lake-merritt/feed/03416How I Brought NYC Homehttp://kristashouse.com/blog/2017/01/30/how-to-bring-a-little-nyc-to-your-own-home/
http://kristashouse.com/blog/2017/01/30/how-to-bring-a-little-nyc-to-your-own-home/#respondTue, 31 Jan 2017 04:05:15 +0000http://kristashouse.com/?p=3388So I just came back from NYC where I was attending the Inman Connect, a real estate conference where Realtors from all over the country meet for 5 days to talk technology, how to build a better business, and of course, real estate. I love going to the event because I make some amazing connections […]

So I just came back from NYC where I was attending the Inman Connect, a real estate conference where Realtors from all over the country meet for 5 days to talk technology, how to build a better business, and of course, real estate. I love going to the event because I make some amazing connections and learn a lot of great tools, all while being surrounded by the greatness of NYC. (During the summer the event is in SF, but since I live in SF that conference doesn’t seem as glamorous.)

You all know I love food, so of course I was constantly scouting out the best eats in food, coffee and dessert. During a much needed coffee break I took a stroll up 8th Avenue, on my way to Bibble and Sip, where I was going to try out their infamous lavender latte. I thought that if this latte really was the hit I hear it is, I could learn to make it and offer up guests at my house, something fun and different, and easy to make!

While strolling up 8th Avenue I passed a restaurant called Thalia. I didn’t eat there, but outside they had the coolest light display. They had strung lights, the kind you see everywhere, but strung them 4-in-a-row along the outside of the restaurant. And that got me thinking…what a cool idea for someone to do with those old clotheslines you often see in the backyards of many of our homes!

Coolest clothesline!

While meandering through Greenwich Village on our day off we happened upon a deliciously sexy olive oil shop called O&Co. They had the most amazing chandelier made out of little bottles of olive oil…so cool! And I thought: what a fun way to display a collection of shot glasses or tea cups.

Try the garlic olive oil!

One of my FAVORITE places in Times Square is, well, central Times Square! It isn’t just the energy, but the red tables. Oh how I LOVE the red tables! If you are looking for a fun way to add some color and energy to your own backyard consider getting a brightly colored table and chairs, like the Fermob ones found at The Wooden Duck in Berkeley.

Fermob! Fermob!

Having a party with kids? Do as Momofuko does and make a cookie with cereal!! Some of the most creative cookies come out of this bakery, and I have tried them all!

cereal cookie!

Lastly, the best way to bring a little NYC into your home? Think outside of the box with color! Add a little color to spice up a room – ever thought of putting purple, charcoal and orange together? Check out these painted brownstones I spotted near Washington Square Park! Or mix and match the chairs around your dining room table to mimic the seats on the NYC Subway.

Hubba hubba color!

Clean and bold subway

Ah NYC, how I love thee! Some leave their heart in SF, but I left mine in NYC.

]]>http://kristashouse.com/blog/2017/01/30/how-to-bring-a-little-nyc-to-your-own-home/feed/03388Calendar of Local January Events in the East Bayhttp://kristashouse.com/blog/2017/01/07/calendar-of-local-january-events-in-the-east-bay/
http://kristashouse.com/blog/2017/01/07/calendar-of-local-january-events-in-the-east-bay/#respondSat, 07 Jan 2017 18:52:16 +0000http://kristashouse.com/?p=3366Here is a calendar of fun, local events in January throughout the East Bay. The marketing team in my office does a great job of putting this together each month so make sure to check back next month for more events! January Calendar of Events

Here is a calendar of fun, local events in January throughout the East Bay. The marketing team in my office does a great job of putting this together each month so make sure to check back next month for more events!

]]>http://kristashouse.com/blog/2017/01/07/calendar-of-local-january-events-in-the-east-bay/feed/03366East Bay Realtors Come Together to Support the Victims of the Ghost Ship Fire in Oaklandhttp://kristashouse.com/blog/2016/12/07/east-bay-realtors-come-together-to-support-the-victims-of-the-ghost-ship-fire-in-oakland/
http://kristashouse.com/blog/2016/12/07/east-bay-realtors-come-together-to-support-the-victims-of-the-ghost-ship-fire-in-oakland/#respondWed, 07 Dec 2016 19:53:23 +0000http://kristashouse.com/?p=3371Our office, Berkeley Hills Realty, along with the entire East Bay community, is grieving the loss of 36 young lives in the recent massive warehouse Ghost Ship fire that occurred on December 2nd in the Fruitvale District of Oakland. The East Bay artist community makes the region vibrant and eclectic and many lives have been […]

Memorial at Highwire Coffee in Albany for 2 of the employees who tragically lost their lives in the fire

Our office, Berkeley Hills Realty, along with the entire East Bay community, is grieving the loss of 36 young lives in the recent massive warehouse Ghost Ship fire that occurred on December 2nd in the Fruitvale District of Oakland. The East Bay artist community makes the region vibrant and eclectic and many lives have been affected by this tragic event.

Red Oak Realty, a fellow East Bay real estate company, has a non-profit component called ROOF-Red Oak Opportunity Foundation and quickly created a fundraiser to help those affected by the fire. ROOF started with a matching fund of $2500; our terrific office jumped right in and also matched that $2500. What I love about this is that our local real estate offices, who are competitors on the surface, don’t care about the competition. We all step up when it is needed.

From now through December 12th, all contributions to ROOF, will be matched up to $5000 and go to support the communities, first responders and families affected by the fire.

We are so grateful to Red Oak Realty for setting this up, and to my office, Berkeley Hills Realty, for matching the call.

The local non-profit, Gray Area Foundation for the Arts, has established a fundraiser through YouCaring.com for those affected by the fire. The Oakland/Berkeley Association of Realtors, through their Community Funds Program, is also offering a matching donation to help the victims’ families with unexpected costs up to $5000 towards the fundraising goal of the Gray Area Foundation.

Our Realtor community is an amazing and caring group of people and we all are sending prayers to everyone affected by the fire.

]]>http://kristashouse.com/blog/2015/09/17/tall-tales-local-ales/feed/03078Perch’d is on Pinterest!http://kristashouse.com/blog/2015/03/03/perchd-is-on-pinterest/
http://kristashouse.com/blog/2015/03/03/perchd-is-on-pinterest/#respondTue, 03 Mar 2015 23:26:25 +0000http://kristashouse.com/?p=2958Perch’d is on Pinterest! Check out some of the fun things we like to do in the Bay Area as well as find out about some of the cool things about your neighborhood! We are busy pinning great things for you to enjoy! Let us know what your favorite pin is!

]]>http://kristashouse.com/blog/2015/03/03/perchd-is-on-pinterest/feed/02958Food For Thought Thursday!http://kristashouse.com/blog/2014/12/04/food-for-thought-thursday/
http://kristashouse.com/blog/2014/12/04/food-for-thought-thursday/#respondThu, 04 Dec 2014 23:00:12 +0000http://kristashouse.com/?p=2940In today’s food for thought Thursday we want to share with you this little gem of a burger place we tried called Farm Burger in Berkeley.It was awesome — delicious burgers, fries, and salads galore! Plus who doesn’t love a burger place that sells beer and wine! This is the first location in the […]

]]>In today’s food for thought Thursday we want to share with you this little gem of a burger place we tried called Farm Burger in Berkeley.It was awesome — delicious burgers, fries, and salads galore! Plus who doesn’t love a burger place that sells beer and wine! This is the first location in the West for this small growing chain from the South and it is a place you definitely want to try out. Check it out and let me know what you think!

]]>http://kristashouse.com/blog/2014/12/04/food-for-thought-thursday/feed/02940Tree Lighting Ceremonieshttp://kristashouse.com/blog/2014/12/02/tree-lighting-ceremonies/
http://kristashouse.com/blog/2014/12/02/tree-lighting-ceremonies/#respondTue, 02 Dec 2014 23:45:40 +0000http://kristashouse.com/?p=2934Do you make it a tradition to go to tree lighting ceremonies each year? If not – no better time than now! Berkeley has their tree lighting ceremony this Friday at 5:30pm. Jack London Square will also have their tree lighting ceremony on Friday at 5:00pm. There are quite a few options to go see […]

]]>Do you make it a tradition to go to tree lighting ceremonies each year? If not – no better time than now! Berkeley has their tree lighting ceremony this Friday at 5:30pm. Jack London Square will also have their tree lighting ceremony on Friday at 5:00pm. There are quite a few options to go see a tree lighting or Menorah lighting. Check the list out here. Wherever you choose to go – dress warm and take a lot of picture for it will be an event you won’t want to forget!

]]>http://kristashouse.com/blog/2014/12/02/tree-lighting-ceremonies/feed/02934America’s First Cat Cafehttp://kristashouse.com/blog/2014/11/25/americas-first-cat-cafe/
http://kristashouse.com/blog/2014/11/25/americas-first-cat-cafe/#respondTue, 25 Nov 2014 23:00:39 +0000http://kristashouse.com/?p=2911America’s first cat cafe has opened in Oakland! Cat Town Cafe is an awesome cafe that helps the cats least likely to be adopted from Oakland’s municipal shelter. It is getting a lot of press and doing some great work in the community! If you love cats you should definitely check it out! You can make […]

]]>America’s first cat cafe has opened in Oakland! Cat Town Cafe is an awesome cafe that helps the cats least likely to be adopted from Oakland’s municipal shelter. It is getting a lot of press and doing some great work in the community! If you love cats you should definitely check it out! You can make a reservation here to guarantee a hour-long visit in their Cat Zone. In addition to visiting and buying delicious coffee from Bicycle Coffee you can shop online and support through purchasing a Coffee Cat t-shirt. Get out and see what all the meowing is about!

]]>http://kristashouse.com/blog/2014/11/25/americas-first-cat-cafe/feed/02911Albany Haunt Raises Fear and Money!http://kristashouse.com/blog/2014/10/29/albany-haunt-raises-fear-and-money/
http://kristashouse.com/blog/2014/10/29/albany-haunt-raises-fear-and-money/#respondThu, 30 Oct 2014 04:30:59 +0000http://kristashouse.com/?p=2890Albany Haunt not only raises your fear level but also raises money for Alameda County Community Food Bank. Krista and her family went to Albany Haunt this past weekend. It is the brainchild of Sam DuBois, a creative teenager who decided that, in exchange for $2 and a donation to the local food bank, he would do his […]

]]>Albany Haunt not only raises your fear level but also raises money for Alameda County Community Food Bank. Krista and her family went to Albany Haunt this past weekend. It is the brainchild of Sam DuBois, a creative teenager who decided that, in exchange for $2 and a donation to the local food bank, he would do his best to scare the bejeebers out of you. They went. It worked! This year’s theme is “Fear the Farm.” Krista spoke to Sam’s mom and was so impressed with the support she gives her son to help him see his vision through year after year. Though she’s not sure she’d give up her front yard for 6 weeks she is sure glad that his mom does! 1048 Peralta, Albany. Check it out- if you dare! And bring $2 and a can of food.